The Poultry Industry

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7978, 8 December 1911, Page 2

The Poultry Industry

POULTRY AND EGGS

FOR MARKET? AND EXPORT,

BULXETINFOR POULTRYMEN,

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OP . AGRICULTURE. .

Among the numerous publications and leaflets tliat.liave from time to time been issued by the ’direction, oi' the Minister for Agriculture for' free distribution, iiuthing of a more complete and comprehensive nature dealing with any one particular phrase of incui-stry has been yet produced than the bulletin covering the business of poultry-raising, which lias just been published. The matter contained has been carefully compiled by Mr P. C. Brown, Government poultry expert, and a careful perusal of its contents will give timely advice to amateurs of the many pitfalls that should bo carefully avoided if ultimate success is to be attained. It is the object of the Department 01 Agriculture to foster the utility phase of poultry-keeping; to assist, by advice and demonstration, all who are engaged in the production of eggs and table birds; and especially to guide the beginner, so that all who take up the industry may do so with a fair chance of success, that failures, unfortunately too common, may be obviated, and that the industry may prove a payable proposition to all who embark in it. Poultryraising, both as a side lino and as a regular business, is rapidly extending, and is likely to do- so for many years to come; but there are many who start out with insufficient experience and capital, with the result that disappointment and losses are realised; whereas sound information, such as is contained in the work under notice, if properly applied, would have led to success. The publication is freely illustrated, showing the most modem approved models for -buildings and their equipment, which will be invaluable to ail. Considerable .space is also devoted io the symptoms of the most common poultry ailments, with; hints ‘covering simple forms of remedy and prevention. This is a form of State aid that must bo greatly appreciated. All that is necessary to secure one of the 10,000 copies that nave been printed is to scud a postcard to the publications department, when the work will be pasted free of charge.

LAYING COMPETITION

OPINIONS OF AN ENGLISH CRITIC.

A correspondent dealing with the value, of egg-laying competitions in a letter to' the "iheld," makes the following re-’ marks, which, while open to criticism, are of general interest to pouitrymen: “If the competitions have done noth-i ing else they have certainly awakened interest among the general public which is all to the good, and cannot fail to help in the .aUvauqemciit of .the poultry industry. “There is a tendency at the present! time, however, greatly to exaggerate thei importance ut these annual laying cointests. There are” some enthusiasts who would have us believe that the present satisfactory and almost flourishing stale of the poultry industry is due, if not entirely, at all events very largely', to the competitions which have been held during tne last decade. This, in my oxiinion, is altogether an exaggerated idea of their value. As a matter of fact. I would go further than. this, and, say that the cmef value of the competitions has been to the contestants themselves. They have certainly reaped tar more benefit than has the industry as a' whole.' As things are at' present _ constituted, wo find to-day that the winner of a competition advertises his birds very extensively indeed, obviously asking a high price owing to the iact that the birds themselves or their parents were successful in winning a laying contest. Not only so-, but the advertisements appear year after year, ami one : is asked a higfi. price for birds because: their great-great-grandparents won a‘ competition some years previously, i venture to say that this fact in itself is of no importance whatever, and is no assurance that the stock offered for sale, to-day is any better than the progeny of birds which occupied bottom place in l the .same competition. It is even possible that the latter birds may he vastly superior. I know of many cases m which a poultry-keeper, seeing an alluring advertisement concerning tfio progeny of a winning pen in a laying competition, has perhajis at considerable inconvenience, paid a high price for a setting of eggs, or for some of the chickens themselves. Great, indeed, . has been, his disappointment when he has discovered that the birds were no better than his own flock; perhaps they were not so good. “There are several directions in which a laying competition is practically valueless as a guide to a breed's or to a strain’s laying capabilities. If the contest is held in a cold, bleat spot in tha north of England—as some of them have been—and a breeder living in a warm, sheltered __ place enters a pen for competition, it is pretty evident that' his birds stand no earthly chance against a pen coming from a similar spot to that where the contest is held. The opposite, too, may happen. The locale of the competition may be in a well-sheltered, warm d’strict, and obviously birds used to a bleak spot revel in the warmth, at any rate, for a few months. Then, too, a gicat deal of importance attaches to the skill and experience of the breeder in. sending birds which are just on the point of laying. A person who does not possess this expert knowledge may have a more prolific strain, but it does not happen that the birds are in exactly the right condition and of precisely the . right ago. In a case ,of this kind the poorer pen wins. A laying contest, therefore, is no test whatever of a breed’s value, owing to the tacts mentioned above. Yet we find that whichever, breed happens to win the competition it enjoys a great boom, hundreds of poultry-keepers, who <lo not understand the question fully, thinking that they have only to secure a pen of this particular variety ana they will always have a plentiful supply of eggs. How .pitifully mistaken this is only those perhaps fully realise who have had some practical experience in the matter. . , . "In. view of the fact that laying competitions have taken place regularly for so many years, has the time not arrived when they have served their purpose? X think it is quite possible that there is grave danger of overdoing these contests, and those who have the arranging of those matters should carefully consider whether they cannot spend the money to better advantage.

by ’fcROWEIG

This is especially important at the present time, since the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have already assisted financially, and su far as one can tell are likely to do so again.**

CULLING

KEEPING UP THE STANDARD. Even in a yard whose owner prides himself on tho utility of his flock, it pays better to weed out the mismarked cockerel for the table, and lo put tho faulty-plumagcd pullets aside lo be forced ahead as layers. It should always bo the aim to get a good level looking lot of fowls if a number of poultry is kept. Chickens do no‘t -outgrow faults. It really does not answer to dispose of mismarlvt'd sjjocimcns as purebred fowls nowadays. To convince a beginner, for instance, that a black tailed buff Orpington or a black spotted white is really a purebred fowl is not an easy task in these enlightened times; and, although some may expect a prizewinner for half a sovereign, which is, of course, beyond reason, they will not put up with a rank waster for that figure. It is granted, where tho sole object is to secure good layers, it is not necessary to discard a pullet on the score of faulty feather marking, colour, or plumage, or such outside blemishes. Nevertheless, oven when rming a laying strain tho object shouk. be to do so by means of good-looking specimens, rather than putting together a lot of inferior birds.— "Houclan,'" in the “Sydney Mail."

EXTENSIVE POULTRY FATTENING

A bulletin entitled “Fattening Poultry," describing successful motuods of fattening poultry on a large commercial scale and giving complete data on the feeding of over 100,000 birds, has just been issued by the United States Department of Agriculture. It gives information of operations on an extensive scale and so far as known is the first publication showing tho cost of producing a pound of gain in poultry. 'Tho successful feeding of poultry depends largely on the ability of the feeder to notice the condition of tho chickens on feed," is one of the fundamentals laid down by tho bulletin. "The common practice in poultry packing houses is to feed each lot seventeen days or loss. Host of the milk-fed chickens are fed foiirteen days. Practically all of the special feeding in this country involves the use of niUk, which produces the_ Tnilk-fed chickens* of tho market. Milk, while the least expensive, seems to be the most essential constituent of the ration, and when a feeder cannot got milk in some form he generally does not attempt to fatten poultry commercially. "Crate feeding from troughs is tho method employed in this country by most of tne large fattening establishments, with six to ten fowls iu a crate. Birds fed only for a short time may be forced on highly concentrated feeds, whereas if fed longer they may need a ration containing a greater variety and less concentrated.

MILK. HAS IMPORTANT INFLUENCE, ‘-Milk seems to havp. a- very; important influence on the digestive process, keepiug the fowls in good condition under forced fee-ding. Beef _ broth ,is used to some extent, but it is not as good, as milk. At the beginning fowls should be fed lightly for two or three feeds, gradually Increasing the amount until they do not clean up all that is given to them. •The main, objects should be Ao keep their appetites keen . and at the same time have them consume as much feed as they can assimilate. By feeding a small amount often, they, will eat a greater quantity and their appetites will rc■main'keenea” The conclusions reached by the investigation show that general purpose fowls make more economical gains in fattening than the Mediterranean class. The average person will, get better resu-ts in fattening by feeding three times vather than twice daily. It was found that the average gain'for a large lot or poultry ‘was 9.00 - cents and the cost 01 Inc feed nlono was 7.10 cents. It was also observed that hens made less gain than Chickens, in crato fattening, and that low grads wheat flour was a more economical feed than oat flour at the present prices of grain.

CO-OPERATION

WHERE IT FAILETH. (To “Grower.")' ’ Sir,—X was pleased in your issue of the Ist inst. to read a letter from Mr Leger. I have a tale to tell: Once upon a time, not many years ago, there met together, in a windy city, three men, "A," “B," and “C." Now these men lived nigh unto this great city. They fed themselves, their wives, and their families , by extracting the juicy egg from the wily hen. Now as eggs were very plentiful, the breadman, the cookman, and the grocerman became very cunning. They would not give much gold for the, festive egg. In truth, they say, “Throe traybits for twelve." Therefore, "A, B. and C were exceeding sad. So they communed together. After much talk they decided to go and take counsel from “K." .... Now "K” was a vendor of dainties for all' four footed beast, and two footed bird. But although “K" was a vendor, lip was an upright man. So they communed together with “K." Then "K" arose and said, “Why weep ye, ye miserable mortals, all yon must do’ is to co-operate. You gather the attractive egg: bring them to me: I will send them to a far country where the buyer has not so much cunning, and there you will obtain much ‘boodle/" So they co-operated. "X” who was a largo man in stature and also in the number of' eggs, sayeth, “Eight, oh!” “B” sayeth, I will also send you eggs. I caro not if in experimenting it costeth me even unto a ‘tenner.’ ” "C” sayeth, “Although I shift my tent to a distant land shortly I, too, will bring you the egg." Now “A,” "B," and "C" were mightily rejoiced, and each man departed to his own habitation. When “A” arrived at his homo at "Eittleut” he forthwith smote- the lame donkey, and gave it unto his fowls. • When "B” returned to his home at “Golfole," he at once proceeded to chase the watercress, and gave many bunches to his flock. "C” arrived at his tent at ' Eargernt" with a. package labelled “ginger." In the space of a few days "K” writeth to send their produce. And with mighty quickness “A," "B,” and "C,” girded up their loins and look in their produce. In the space of another few days "K” again askvth for produce. "A," “B," and "C” also took this to the great city. But this time there was no unseemly Again "K" writeth, “Go and collect all manner of eggs, in their scores, and in their hundreds, and load your oxen and your asses and bring them quickly. Eo. I have contracted with the Boss Man of the Pink Funnel Fleet, and he has graciously given me much space (after my paying many shekels)." ■ “A” thus writeth to “K,” “I cannot

'send you oven one egg, my grocerman requifeth the ballv lot- J "I?" likewise writeth to K : I cannot send unto vou oven the shell of an egg. ns I have "not for myself enough." “C” talceth his in in a basket. All that he had. ■ Now “K" was exceeding wroth. And his wrath was terrible to see. So he arose and went to the byways, he and his servants, and after many days he obtainoth enough eggs to fill his baskets; "K" how sayeth “that he is 'full up’ of co-operation." And the breadman, the cookmaa and tho grocerman now say that thev “Give three tray-bits for 15 eggs (not 12).” And they wax exceeding fat.-Yours truly. XNMAX-TOD.